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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Supporters of the Knowledge Is Power Program, a |
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national network of public charter schools, are gathering in Austin |
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on March 5, 2013, for KIPP Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, KIPP was founded in 1994 by Mike Feinberg and Dave |
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Levin, two Teach For America alumni who decided to start a |
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fifth-grade public school program in Houston; the following year, |
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Mr. Feinberg launched a middle school in the same city and Mr. Levin |
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began one in the Bronx; specifically seeking to prepare |
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underprivileged and at-risk children for the challenges and |
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opportunities they will face in high school, college, and beyond, |
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these schools became success stories in their communities; and |
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WHEREAS, The two founders of KIPP partnered with Doris and |
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Donald Fisher to create the KIPP Foundation, which would fund KIPP |
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schools on a nationwide scale; in addition to middle schools, they |
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established elementary and high schools, all of them locally |
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managed and independently operated; they are tuition-free and open |
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to all, funded through federal, state, and local sources, and held |
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to state and federal academic standards; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, there are 125 KIPP schools in 20 states and |
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the District of Columbia, and they have a combined enrollment of |
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more than 41,000; more than 87 percent of the student population is |
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from low-income families and more than 95 percent are racial |
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minorities; after attending KIPP middle schools, more than 90 |
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percent of these students go on to graduate from high school and |
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more than 80 percent attend college; and |
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WHEREAS, To foster a strong culture of learning, KIPP schools |
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build a partnership between parents, students, and teachers, and |
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the schools promote character formation along with academics; |
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longer school days and high expectations help students reach their |
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goals; and |
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WHEREAS, Providing a strong primary and secondary school |
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foundation is an endeavor in which all Texans have a stake, and KIPP |
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is indeed worthy of commendation for redefining what is possible in |
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educational achievement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 5, 2013, as KIPP Day at the State |
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Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes |
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for an informative and enjoyable trip to Austin. |